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Trail Blazers

CHICAGO (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 25 points and the Chicago Bulls beat the Atlanta Hawks for the second time in three nights, 131-117 on Wednesday.
The Bulls extended their winning streak to a season-high five games. The Hawks, who are playing without 15 players due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols and injuries, lost for the fifth time in six games.
The Bulls shot 61.9% and had a season-high with 38 assists. They beat the Hawks 130-118 on Monday night in Atlanta.
Trey Young scored 26 points for Atlanta, and Clint Capela added 18 in the opener of a six-game trip.
“We got three-fourths of our team out,” Young said. “I came to shoot around not knowing most of my teammates.”
LaVine punctuated his performance with a. 360 dunk that extended the Bulls’ lead to 119-96 with 6:44 left.
Nicola Vucevic had 16 points and a season-high 20 rebounds for Chicago. DeMar DeRozan scored 20 pointts, and guard Coby White had 17 points and 12 assists. Reserve guard Ayo Dosunmu converted 6 of 7 shots and finished with 14 points, as did Javonte Green.
“I think people realize how good (LaVine) is,” Bulls interim coach Chris Fleming said. “I think that secret is out. He’s been an All-Star and has played at an extremely high level.”
The Bulls made 40 of 43 field goal attempts in the first half (69.8%), including 6 of 10 three-point attempts.
The Bulls had an 18-1 run to end the first half with a 74-53 lead. They were credited with 24 assists in the first half without point guard Lonzo Ball, who is in health and safety protocols.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Chris Clemons and Cameron Oliver were signed to 10-day contracts. Wes Iwundu was activated from the NBA’s health and safety protocol. The Hawks have 12 players in protocols, which has caused coach Nate McMillan to play Young, Cam Reddish, Capela and Skylar Mays, a two-way guard, longer than he’d prefer. “We really don’t have subs for them,” McMillan said. “There are times we’re having to put four-five guys out there who don’t know our system. We’re giving them basic sets.”
Bulls: Marko Simonovic entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Simonovic is the 17th Bulls player to enter the protocols this season. F Patrick Williams (ligament tear) had pins removed from his left wrist, but Fleming didn’t know how this would affect Williams’ rehab schedule. Williams was expected to miss the regular season. With coach Billy Donovan currently in health and safety protocols, Fleming said he expects to remain as interim coach through at least the next two games.
UP NEXT
Hawks: At Cleveland on Friday night.
Bulls: At Indiana on Friday.

The Chicago Bulls beat the Atlanta Hawks, extending their win streak to five games.

Bulls beat Hawks for 2nd time in 3 nights, run streak to 5

This summer, there were a handful of teams that got better through the NBA Draft and free-agency period. Recently, our staff discussed the organizations that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-best-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had the best offseason</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most underrated moves of this summer</a>. But who didn't take advantage of this window to add to their roster?
Today, we asked our writers:
Which NBA team had the worst offseason?
Nekias Duncan: I&rsquo;m just not a fan of what the Portland Trail Blazers did. Their coaching hire of Chauncey Billups was mired in controversy. There&rsquo;s been no major swing on the roster, with their best free agent acquisition being Cody Zeller. They got virtually nothing from the draft, then followed that up by building a summer league roster that frankly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/nekias-duncan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn&rsquo;t make much sense</a>. I can&rsquo;t say I&rsquo;m a fan of how things have been handled.
Jackson Frank: It&rsquo;s the Dallas Mavericks for me. They didn&rsquo;t get substantially better in an offseason when they touted lots of cap space and resemble a very similar team to last year. They still need a secondary creator to aid Luka Doncic. The wing defense is lackluster. The center rotation is worrisome. This just felt like a considerable misstep, given Luka&rsquo;s superstardom and the financial flexibility drying up moving forward.
Alex Kennedy: In one of the most important offseasons in the Portland Trail Blazers' history (given what's at stake with Damian Lillard's future), Neil Olshey and Co. dropped the ball. The team lost Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter and Zach Collins, and their only notable moves were re-signing Norm Powell and adding Cody Zeller, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore. Entering this offseason, Lillard said: "I think if you look at our team as it is going into next season, I don&rsquo;t see how you can say, &lsquo;This is a championship team. You just need a new coach.&rsquo;" He's 100% right, and now the roster is arguably worse than when he made that comment. When asked about Portland's free-agency moves, Lillard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-not-unhappy-with-blazers-despite-losses-in-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was honest</a> and said, "We weren&rsquo;t able to go out there and get some of the guys that we would have liked."&nbsp;
Spencer Davies: Surprisingly, I am asking myself what the San Antonio Spurs are doing with their money. Bringing in veterans like Thaddeus Young, Doug McDermott, Zach Collins, Bryn Forbes and Al-Farouq Aminu would make more sense if they were contending for a postseason spot... but that almost certainly won&rsquo;t be the case. From a developmental standpoint, it should be good to have these guys around to mentor Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Keldon Johnson. Still, it kind of takes time away from Lonnie Walker Jr. and Devin Vassell, and that&rsquo;s the last thing you want for a team that&rsquo;s going to reset after losing DeMar DeRozan and a slew of vets who had been around for years. That said, taking Josh Primo as a take-your-time project is intriguing... just maybe not so much for the other young players who play that position. Oh, and Jakob Poeltl signed an extension not too long ago too, yet R.C. Buford decided to invest in Collins. This summer just seemed like an interesting, maybe not-so-smart way to use cap space for one of the best-run organizations in sports.
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Imman Adan: The New Orleans Pelicans. They went all in, giving up two future first-round picks in the Memphis Grizzlies deal for Jonas Valanciunas, and a pick swap. They also didn&rsquo;t re-sign Lonzo Ball, moved off of Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams' money and gave up Wes Iwundu with very little to show for it. I&rsquo;m all for big swings, but this didn&rsquo;t feel all that calculated. It's hard to understand what they&rsquo;re trying to accomplish, and they certainly took a step back.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Evan Sidery: I have no idea what the Spurs are doing. Why sign Doug McDermott to a big contract, while also signing Bryn Forbes? Zach Collins on a multi-year deal was another head-scratching move. The Spurs <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/with-veterans-moving-on-san-antonio-spurs-would-be-wise-to-hit-the-reset-button" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should be trying to tank this year</a>, but that might not be their plan internally. Give those minutes opened by veteran departures to your young core, not new free agents. Now, players like Devin Vassell and Lonnie Walker are still stuck to the bench.
Ethan Fuller: Portland could win this off of the Chauncey Billups hiring (and subsequent fallout) alone, and I'm sure some of our fellow writers picked the Trail Blazers. So I'll add another team in the Dallas Mavericks, whose offseason <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mavericks-gm-donnie-nelson-agree-to-mutually-part-ways-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consisted of a front-office blowup</a>, three minor roster additions <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock-mavs-agree-to-threeyear-deal-worth-305m">headlined by Reggie Bullock</a> and the hiring of Jason Kidd as head coach. Kidd not only was convicted of domestic abuse in 2001 &mdash; and has done little publicly to atone for it &mdash; but he also has a 183-190 record as the head coach of talented teams. And there is <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/book-jason-kidd-held-christmas-163516649.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anecdotal evidence of a problematic past</a> in Milwaukee. It's hard for a team to regress with a rising star, but that seems to be what the Mavs are doing despite Luka Doncic's ascension.
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Jesse Blancarte: In an offseason where the Portland Trail Blazers are at risk of superstar Damian Lillard demanding to be traded, the franchise failed to make any moves that would quell the situation. Re-signing Norman Powell was a good move. However, Portland lost notable players like Enes Kanter, Carmelo Anthony and Zach Collins. The only other additions so far include Cody Zeller on a minimum contract, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore. Unless Portland has a few tricks up its sleeves, it seems likely Lillard and C.J. McCollum are going to lack the support they need on the court to take Portland on a deep playoff run next season.
Drew Maresca: I was on the fence between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers, but Doncic&rsquo;s re-signing made the difference for me. Ultimately, Dallas is now where Portland was two years ago. The Blazers needed to do something to impress Damian Lillard, and they failed. Lillard is insanely loyal, but even the most loyal among us has limits. Lillard will end up giving Portland an ultimatum at some point in the near future, and the Blazers might find themselves stonewalled into trading Lillard instead of building around him. Who knows, it might already be too late.
Chris Sheridan: That is a tough one because the summer is a time of hope for all 30 teams. But the Orlando Magic are the winners of this category. They added Robin Lopez and head coach Jamahl Mosley, but little else outside of their draft picks. I hated the Nikola Vucevic trade when they made it. I hated it even more when Khem Birch was waived and outplayed his replacement Wendell Carter Jr. with the Toronto Raptors late last season. I do not see much hope here for an Orlando win total north of the teens.

Which team did the worst job during the 2021 NBA offseason? Our writers share their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which NBA team had the worst offseason?

LaMelo Ball has put the Charlotte Hornets back on the map.
The 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year helped energize a fanbase that was yearning for a long-term building block after Kemba Walker&rsquo;s departure in 2019. Ball provided a spark of youthful energy and displayed extremely intriguing two-way upside, averaging 15.7 points, 6.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. In the process, the 19-year-old accelerated the Hornets&rsquo; development curve.
Since 1996-97, only seven rookies have put up a year-long 15-6-1.5 statline: Allen Iverson, Steve Francis, Chris Paul, John Wall, Michael Carter-Williams, Ben Simmons and Ball. Throw in Ball's 5.9 rebounds and only Carter-Williams and Simmons matched his first-year production. And once Ball became a full-time starter, his numbers were even more impressive: 18.1 points, 6.2 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals on a 54.5 True Shooting percentage.
The Hornets have a budding superstar who's ready to take the NBA by storm in short order, which is a key component for any organization looking to take the ever-important leap forward.
Quietly, Charlotte has been one of the biggest offseason winners. Across the board, the Hornets improved their roster and made moves that will allow them to compete in the immediate future while also developing an enticing young core. Take a look at how they tinkered with their roster to best fit Ball&rsquo;s strengths as a fast-paced floor general with blossoming three-level scoring ability:
Outgoing: Devonte&rsquo; Graham, Cody Zeller, Malik Monk, Bismack Biyombo, Brad Wanamaker, Caleb Martin
Incoming: James Bouknight, Mason Plumlee, Kelly Oubre Jr., Kai Jones, Ish Smith, Wes Iwundu, JT Thor, future first-round pick (via the New Orleans Pelicans)
The Hornets drew huge praise for their draft-night haul, for obvious reasons. Landing James Bouknight, one of the best pure scorers in the 2021 draft class, was a massive steal at No. 11. Charlotte traded up to acquire tantalizing big man Kai Jones, who possesses unicorn-esque traits, which gives their backcourt a future transition running mate who can protect the rim with further physical development. JT Thor, who has been described as a possible <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jt-thor-could-be-2021-nba-draft-diamond-in-the-rough-auburn-tigers-prospect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diamond-in-the-rough</a>, is an upside swing who could also pay huge dividends down the road. BasketballNews.com's NBA Draft experts Matt Babcock and Derek Murray both named the Hornets as one of their <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2021-nba-draft-recap-winners-and-losers-steals-biggest-surprises-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biggest draft-night winners</a>.
Add Charlotte's strong 2021 draft haul alongside Ball, Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington and the Hornets&rsquo; core should be set for years to come. Ball and Bouknight are an awesome one-two scoring punch who can play off one another seamlessly. Bridges and Washington have flashed immense upside already in their young careers. If Jones and Thor reach their max ceilings, Charlotte has a terrifying big duo that can do things on both ends of the court.
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Pivoting over to the veterans that Charlotte acquired, these three immediate contributors will add a much-needed boost to a rotation that's filled to the brim with youth.
Recently signed to a two-year, $25 million deal, Kelly Oubre Jr.&rsquo;s run-and-gun mentality should allow him to flourish alongside Ball, who will set him up for easy looks in transition. If Oubre completely buys into a sixth-man role, there&rsquo;s real potential for him to garner Sixth-Man-of-the-Year consideration next season. One year ago, Oubre was coming off a career-best season with the Phoenix Suns in which he averaged 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks while mastering his role as a cutter in Monty Williams&rsquo; &ldquo;0.5 Offense.&rdquo; After a down year with the Golden State Warriors, it's very possible that the 25-year-old can have a strong bounce-back season in Charlotte.
Mason Plumlee is an upgrade over Zeller as a starting center, and he can also be an underrated secondary playmaking engine. Charlotte only had to give up the No. 57 pick for Plumlee and the No. 37 pick (which became Thor) since the Detroit Pistons wanted to dump Plumlee's salary due to Isaiah Stewart&rsquo;s emergence. It seems like a draft-night steal for the Hornets. With the Pistons, Plumlee&rsquo;s high-basketball IQ allowed him to set up opportunities for others around the rim as a high-post initiator, averaging a career-best 3.6 assists. And if Jones' development is accelerated during his rookie campaign, Plumlee would accept a bench role, or he can be flipped at the trade deadline for a future asset.
Ish Smith is a reliable backup point guard and a steady presence, who can also play alongside Ball in spurts. With 11 years of experience, Smith is a great veteran leader who can teach Ball some more tricks of the trade throughout the season.
To top things off, Charlotte was also able to swindle a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick from the Pelicans in the Devonte' Graham sign-and-trade, which was another big offseason win. Graham&rsquo;s role in the Queen City was capped, especially after Bouknight was drafted No. 11 overall. Now, the Hornets have another first-round pick at their disposal.
Even with all of these moves by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-mitch-kupchak-wait-3-4-years-before-judging-lamelo-ball-charlotte-hornets-michael-jordan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GM Mitch Kupchak</a>, the Hornets still have two key pieces already on their roster: Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Both were integral parts to the Hornets reaching the Eastern Conference play-in tournament last season.
In Hayward&rsquo;s best season since 2016-17 with the Utah Jazz, he poured in 19.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 41.5% on three-pointers. Before Hayward&rsquo;s season-ending right foot sprain in early April, the Hornets were above .500 at 25-23. Once Hayward went down, Charlotte finished their season 8-17 if you include their 144-117 blowout defeat versus the Indiana Pacers in the play-in game. A healthy Hayward should slide right back into a primary role within the Hornets&rsquo; offense.
Meanwhile, Rozier finally put together an efficient season in which he reached another level as a scoring dynamo. Rozier averaged a career-high 20.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 steals while hitting three-pointers at a 38.9% clip. During his two-year stint in Charlotte, Rozier has stabilized as a high-volume perimeter scorer, converting 39.6% from deep on 7.5 attempts per game.
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Entering the final year of his contract, Rozier is unlikely to be in the Hornets&rsquo; long-term plans with Bouknight&rsquo;s arrival. This means Rozier could be used later this offseason or near the trade deadline to add another future asset. However, if Charlotte becomes a true playoff threat, Rozier&rsquo;s bucket-getting ability will be big for the Hornets.
Entering into an important season for prospect development and immediate improvement, here&rsquo;s how the Hornets&rsquo; rotation shapes out:
Starters: Ball, Rozier, Hayward, Bridges, Plumlee
Second Unit: Smith, Bouknight, Oubre, Washington, Jones
Many teams in the Eastern Conference have assembled strong rosters that seem poised to leap into playoff contention. Charlotte has joined this ever-growing list with their eye-opening offseason haul. If the Hornets are able to finally crack through into postseason play for the first time since 2016, it will prove their rebuild is finally heading in the right direction.
Ball headlines a new era that's generating plenty of buzz in Charlotte, but there&rsquo;s a lot more depth to this roster that's ready to surprise the Association this upcoming season.&nbsp;

Led by LaMelo Ball, the Charlotte Hornets' strong offseason moves make them a legitimate playoff contender in 2021-22.

Hornets ready to fly up standings following strong offseason

The New Orleans Pelicans aren't ready to concede a spot in the play-in tournament just yet.
Eric Bledsoe had 24 points and 11 assists, Jaxson Hayes added 18 points and six blocks and the short-handed Pelicans kept their postseason hopes alive with a 112-110 come-from-behind victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
James Johnson added 17 points and Willy Hernangomez had 16 rebounds for the Pelicans, who pulled within 1 1/2 games of the San Antonio Spurs for the 10th spot in the Western Conference. The Spurs have five games left; the Pelicans four.
It was the Pelicans&rsquo; fourth win in the last six games.
&ldquo;The one thing I have said about this team is we are giving ourselves a chance to win each and every game,&rdquo; Bledsoe said. &ldquo;We are trying to play every game and learn from it.&rdquo;
Terry Rozier scored a career-high 43 points on 16-of-26 shooting, including seven 3-pointers, but it wasn&rsquo;t enough as Charlotte failed to clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.
The Pelicans won despite playing without Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Steven Adams due to injuries. The Hornets were without Devonte Graham, Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward.
In the second matchup this season between the Ball brothers, LaMelo Ball had 22 points and five assists for Charlotte but missed two key free throws late in the game and had five turnovers. Lonzo Ball had 12 points and six assists.
At one point, LaMelo tried to steal the ball from his older brother near midcourt and then dived after it in the backcourt, only to be charged with a foul.
With the Hornets trailing by two with two minutes left, LaMelo Ball made a 15-foot floater to the tie it at 107. But Hayes responded with a layup to put the Pelicans back in front. Ball was fouled on the other end, but missed two free throws with 1:29 left.
New Orleans built a 111-107 lead when Hayes scored on a feed from Nickeil Alexander-Walker drive through the lane with 12.7 seconds left to make it a two-possession game.
Rozier said the Pelicans defense in the second half was the difference in the game.
&ldquo;They just ramped up their pressure, they were keying in on me, every time I was coming off a down screen or a ball screen they were up on me," Rozier said. &ldquo;That personnel is what I&rsquo;m going to see the rest of this season and the play-in.&rdquo;
New Orleans was able to erase a 14-point deficit by keeping the Hornets off the offensive boards in the second half. Charlotte had 13 second-chance points in the first half, but none in the second.
&ldquo;We persevered &mdash; we persevered,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said.
TIP INS
Pelicans: Alexander-Walker made a lightly contested 58-footer at the buzzer at the end of the first quarter. ... Wes Iwundu received a technical foul and was ejected in the fourth quarter for arguing a call.
Hornets: Cody Zeller had another solid game with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and eight rebounds. ... Graham sat out due to knee soreness. ... Outrebounded 28-14 in the second half.
HAYES' GROWTH
Hayes scored New Orleans&rsquo; last four points and the second-year player continues to make strides.
&ldquo;One thing about Jax, he might tend to foul a little bit but he never gives up on a play,&rdquo; Bledsoe said. &ldquo;His energy is big.&rdquo;
Van Gundy said what he likes the most about Hayes' play right now is his consistency, saying he has taken a &ldquo;major step&rdquo; the last two games. The 6-foot-11 center scored had 19 points and three blocks in a 109-107 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
&ldquo;He's starting to string good games together,&rdquo; Van Gundy said.
Said Hornets coach James Borrego: &ldquo;You got to give Hayes a ton of credit, that&rsquo;s a shot blocker for you. He turned that entire fourth quarter &ndash; his presence, his blocked shots and he affected a lot of our stuff in the paint in the fourth quarter.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night on the second night of a back-to-back.
Hornets: Host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.
&mdash;
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans aren't ready to concede a spot in the play-in tournament just yet.

Pelicans beat Hornets 112-110 to keep play-in hopes alive

JJ Redick made his Dallas debut Monday night after being sidelined by a sore right heel since being acquired from New Orleans at the trade deadline.
The veteran shooting guard returned against one of his former teams and former coaches in the Philadelphia 76ers and Doc Rivers, who had Redick for four of his seven seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Mavericks added Redick just before the deadline March 25, looking for a boost at the 3-point line as they try to climb into the top six in the Western Conference and avoid the play-in round for the playoffs.
Redick entered late in the first quarter and missed two shots from inside the arc before hitting his first attempt from 3. He finished with four points, going 1 of 7 from the field and 1 of 3 from deep in Philadelphia's 113-95 victory.
The 36-year-old Redick's last game for the Pelicans was March 3, when he scored 22 points despite going 1 of 5 from long range in a 128-124 loss to Chicago. The Mavericks also got Nicolo Melli in the deal, with Wesley Iwundu, James Johnson and a 2021 second-round pick going to New Orleans.
Redick has averaged 12.9 points on 42% 3-point shooting over 15 seasons. He led the NBA at 48% shooting from long range in one of his seasons with the Clippers. This season Redick is averaging 8.7 points while shooting a career-low 36% from 3.
___
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Redick made his Dallas debut Monday night after being sidelined by a heel injury since being acquired from NOLA at the trade deadline.

JJ Redick makes Dallas debut against former team in 76ers

JJ Redick doesn't have an ideal number of games in mind to get ready for the playoffs with the Dallas Mavericks, who were thinking postseason when they acquired the shooting guard with an expiring contract.
&ldquo;The ideal number is the most amount of games possible,&rdquo; said Redick, who is recovering from a right heel injury that required an injection and last played March 3. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m a rhythm player and so I want to be in a good rhythm going into the playoffs.&rdquo;
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-new-orleans-new-orleans-pelicans-dallas-mavericks-nicolo-melli-2edd2cbce856c7095a6721a7c99dfac4">The Mavericks made a deal just before the trading deadline</a> March 25, getting Redick and Nicolo Melli from New Orleans for James Johnson, Wes Iwundu, a 2021 second-round draft pick and cash.
Redick met his new teammates at practice in New York on Thursday, a day before the Mavericks play the Knicks on their season-long five-game road trip. Redick has joined the team presumably for good this season, but hasn't started practicing. There's no timetable for his Dallas debut.
&ldquo;My understanding is that things are going in a very good direction,&rdquo; coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;We obviously hope he can be back 100% sooner than later.&rdquo;
The Mavericks, who are 17-8 since a six-game losing streak that dropped them a season-high five games under. 500, are seventh in the Western Conference with 25 games remaining. Dallas is 3&frac12; games out of a spot in the top six, which the club needs to avoid the play-in round of the playoffs.
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Redick made the playoffs each of his first 13 seasons in the league before the Pelicans failed to qualify during the NBA's coronavirus restart in Florida last year. The 36-year-old has played in 110 postseason games.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a guy situationally whose shooting is a difference-maker,&rdquo; Carlisle said. &ldquo;We feel like he can help us on the floor. We feel he can help us with our day-to-day culture. He&rsquo;s a meticulous worker and a tireless preparation guy.&rdquo;
Redick is shooting 36% from 3-point range, which would be a career low if he didn't play again in the regular season. But the most immediate question is how much better his opportunities will be playing with young Dallas sensation Luka Doncic, whose vast offensive skills are matched by his passing ability.
&ldquo;Luka is as good as anybody in the league and creating his own shot and creating for other people,&rdquo; said Redick, who averaged 8.7 points in 31 games with the Pelicans, about four points off his career average.
The day before his first virtual meeting with Dallas reporters since the trade, Redick said on his podcast he was &ldquo;jarred&rdquo; by the deal because he had asked to be traded to the East Coast or left out of any deals so he could control his destination through a buyout.
It got close enough to the deadline last week that Redick turned off his phone thinking he was staying put, only to find out later he had been dealt.
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&ldquo;I reiterated this several times on the podcast, look, this is a great situation,&rdquo; said Redick, who hasn't won a title and reached the NBA Finals once, in 2009 when Orlando was swept by the Los Angeles Lakers. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m hoping that I can really help this team in a few ways and contribute to winning and contribute to hopefully a long playoff run.&rdquo;
Redick's postseason experience leaves Carlisle with little worry about figuring out how to incorporate what could be the club's best 3-point threat into the lineup, presumably in late April and early May leading into the playoffs.
&ldquo;From what I&rsquo;ve seen over the years, any time he's come back, he&rsquo;s been able to get back into it pretty quickly,&rdquo; Carlisle said. &ldquo;At this stage of his career, a couple, three weeks off, whatever it's been, might actually be a good thing. We'll try to figure it out quickly.&rdquo;
___
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JJ Redick discussed his trade to the Dallas Mavericks, and how he hopes to help the team go on a deep playoff run once he's healthy.

Redick, Mavericks eye playoffs as guard joins team after trade

Nekias Duncan dissects every detail of the moves that went down at Thursday's NBA trade deadline and gives them grades.

Grading every move from the 2021 NBA trade deadline

The Dallas Mavericks have traded for New Orleans' JJ Redick and Nicolo Melli, according to The Athletic.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Dallas has acquired JJ Redick from the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>. Direct trade, no third team.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1375162187992473603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Redick has spent the last season and a half in New Orleans after signing there as a free agent during the summer of 2019. In his time with the Pelicans, Redick averaged 13 points per game while shooting 43% from beyond the 3-point line.&nbsp;
Prior to last season, Redick had made the NBA playoffs in each of the first 13 seasons of his career.&nbsp;
Here is the full package, according to Charania:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sources: Dallas sent James Johnson, Wes Iwundu and a second-round pick to New Orleans to acquire JJ Redick and Nicolo Melli. Mavericks acquiring two shooters to bolster their depth. Pelicans receive a gritty veteran forward in Johnson, young player and draft asset. <a href="https://t.co/WaVX3BKh6T">https://t.co/WaVX3BKh6T</a>
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1375167672053284866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Mavericks will be adding the veteran sharpshooter.

JJ Redick sent from New Orleans to Dallas

Free agent Wes Iwundu is close to a deal with the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell The Athletic NBA and Stadium.
Source: <a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1330315380791848963" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter)</a>
ANALYSIS: Wes Iwundu spent his first three seasons in the NBA with Orlando and is now reportedly on his way to Dallas ton join the Mavericks. Iwundu was a part of Orlando's rotation last year averaging 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. 
Signing Wes Iwundu would make sense for Dallas after <a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-free-agency-trade-oklahoma-city-thunder-detroit-pistons-dallas-mavericks-delon-wright-james-johnson-trevor-ariza-justin-jackson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trading away guard Delon Wright in a deal that brought them forward James Johnson</a>.

Free agent Wes Iwundu is reportedly close to reaching a deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

Wes